Nepal Attackers Kill Hindu Priest

Authorities in Nepal say gunmen have shot and killed a priest who was the kingdom's representative on the World Hindu Council.

Police report that Narayan Pokhrel was attacked early Friday in southwestern Nepal, and that one of the priest's aides was wounded.

Mr. Pokhrel was a popular religious leader in Nepal, who population is predominantly Hindu. Today had been the final day of a trip he was making through southwestern parts of the Himalayan nation, holding religious ceremonies and seeking financial assistance for charitable groups.

The motive for the priest's killing is unclear, but one account quotes his nephew as saying that Mr. Pokhrel was gunned down by members of Nepal's Maoist rebels.